Improvement in sod-cutters



0; E. STELLER, vSody Cutter.`

Patented Aug. 19,- 1862.

iTo all whom it may concern:

. tication, inwhich- PATENT Orifice.

IM PRovsfic ENT' IN s OD-CUTTERS.

Specitcation forming part of Letters Patent llo.' 36,245, dated' August 19, w62.

Beit known that'I, C. E. STELLER, Of-Gen.- esce, in the county ot' Waukesha and Stateot' -Wisconsin, have' invented a new and Improved Sed-Gutter; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full-cle`ar, and exact description ofthe same,reference 'being hadtothe accom-l panying drawings, making a part of this vspeci- Figure 1 represents a longitudinat vertical section, of lmy invention'. Fig. 2 isTa-plan or top view of the same. Figs. 3 and 'Lure detached side elevations'of the cutters. Figs.

`5 and 46 are transverse sections ofthe same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre-v sponding parts in the several gut'es, rlhis invention consists in the arrangement of two or more vertically-adjustable cutterbeains, each beingl providedwith a series 6i' oblique cutters inclining,r laterally in opposite directions, in combination w-ith a self-adjusting drag suspended from the rear end of the cutter-frame in such a manner that the sod is I completely cut upby the action of the cutters,

and the ground is pulverized und leveled by the action of thc'drag, ready to receive grassseed or grain.

It consists, further, in the arrangement of notches inthe top ends of the cutters,in com bination with pivoted catches or buttons, in such a manner that by turning 'said buttons thecutters can be fastened or unfastened at pleasure.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to de scribe its construction and' operation with reference to the drawings. A

The cutter-beams A B are adjustable in a .vertical or upward-inclined direction between the guides a b, which are secured to the nner sides of the runners B', one opposite the other, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawin gs. When thecutter-beams are at their lowest position two or more blocks, oaX bx b x, are inserted between the guides ab on the top ot' the beam and held down by pins ab,which pass through the upper ends ot' the guides a b.

It it is desired to diminish the depth of cut ting, the cutter-beams are raised, and one pair of the blocks a bx is placed under each'cutter-beam, while the other pair of blocks a* bx 'is'retained above, and the thickness of thesel 4blocks is regulated so thatA by each pairof blocks a change `in the depth oteuttng ofone, inch is effected. Forinstance,it` the'fullrdepth to which the .cutters are vmade tocut is sii: ..inches, and it is desired to cut only four incht deep, two pairs of blocks h-wc to be placed under each cutter-beam; or, if -it is desired to cnt only two inches deep, four pairs ot' blocks have y n to be placedl under veach cutter-beam. Src.

aannemer-beam ispmyidgd with a genes", of cutters, C, which are inserted in anobliqnedirection and which incline' laterally in 'dieren't directions. 'Ihe cutting-edges@ cachent'- tcr stands at an anglejef ,about forty-tire"de-` grecs more'or lesstttoward a=plane passing through; the lower surfaces' of the rnnnersf,

thisariangemcnt euch individual cutter passes easily through the.grund,and if'it meets with v l an obstruction-saches.roots or stalks of corn,

&c.;it cuts through the saine` with a drawing,

cut, or if it strikes a stone it pushes it (bn-one side or passes readily over it; and by the-.conibined action of theA two sets of cutters e'yery particle of ground between the two runners is cut up.

The two runners'arc connected in front by across-bar, E, and in the rear bya crossbar,.F,

and from the front cross-bar an angular board, d, extends close to the frontedge of the cutterbeam A. The'objeet of this board is to prel"ent clods or other substaiices from lodging on the cutter-beam and between the same and the front cross-bar, E, and to deflect such elodsers,ff, one setbeing inclined in one and' thev other in the opposite direction, and with tri angular ribs g ,extending from one side of the l drag to the other; This drag, in passing over the ground, levels thesame and leaves it in a perfect condition to receive 'grassseeds or gran, or it may also be used forcovering the see For each machine two sets of cutters, C C",

are provided, one set with sharp cutting-edges This amg.

and the other Set with blunt rounded' edges, l in an upward direction and thepressure on thc as shown clearly in Figs. 5 and 6. ters are inserted into mortises in the cutterbeams, each cutter being provided with ft-shoulder, h, which bears against the underfside of the beam, and with a notch, i', near its top end to receive a catch orbutton, j. These buttons` are pivoted to the upper sides ofA the cutter-'I beams in such a position that they can be turned to catch in the notchcsz' of the cutters,v

or so as to release the same, as may be desired. By this arrangement I am enabled to remove either one of the cutters whenever it may be desired, to sharpen the same or to replace it by another; or all the cutters may be taken out and replaced by a. different set, according to the nature ofthe soil in which it is desired to use the machine.

. u The cutters C, with the sharp cutting-edges,' are used in soft, marshy grass land, where the)` may meet with roots or stalks `or other obstructions .capable o'f being; cut through by them; but in dry stony ground the cutters Cy are removed and the cutters C", with the blunt cutting-edges, are inserted.A Y By these means theLcutting-edges are saved from injurywheu they come inr4 contact with stones, and

the dry ground is easilycut through bythe blunt cutters. l

A draft-chain, H, serves to draw the magchine-aloug through the ground. vThis chain isat'tached to hooks k, which ,are secured tothe top edges of the runners B', and it passes either through holes-iu the front cross-bar, E,`

orthrough loops projecting t'romthe top edge of ,said'cross-bar; yBy these means the pressure on the cutters can be regulated. when i. the draft-chain passes through' the holes in the cross-bar the strain exerted on the machine is These cut.-

pose shown and described.

cutters is diminished, whereas, it' Ythe 'chain passes through the loops on the topfedge of the cross-bar, the strain. goes in a downward l When itiis desired to throw theV cutters wholly out of thc ground, the cams or shoes l,

:which are secured to ends of' rock-sliat'tsl on the outside of the runners 13', are turned up cutters are not to bc used,'and while-the machine 1s movedt'rom one field to another, the cutter-bcams are turned upside down.

by means ot' a. lmndlevcr,` m, and when the This machine can be used wtlreilu'al advuntage on dry or on marsh'gv ground, and on account ofthe` peculiar arrangement and poslj tion of' the cutters it cnn be drawn along with a comparatively small lexpenditure of power. Having thus t'ull \"deseribed my invention, v

what I claimas new, und desire to secu'rc by Letterslatcnt, isi 1'. The arrangement pt" two or 4mort` vert1- cally-adjustablecutter-beams, A l, each bci ing provided iwith a series of oblique cutters,

U C', inclined laterally in opposite, directions, in combination withthc self-:uljnstingldrng (i, constructed and ol'lerating'asand i'or the pur- 2. `The arrauffeu'ient ot' the notches top end'of the cutters, C Gv, in combination with the buttonsj, as andfor the purpose'specilied. i f

C. E. S'llllilrl) l. Wituessesz- JAMES LAIRD, R. GAWLEY.

Iiin thel 

